The David Rubenstein Forum at the University of Chicago is a new center for intellectual exchange, scholarly collaboration, and special events. The 97,000-square-foot facility consists of a 2-story podium and a 10-story tower of stacked “neighborhoods” with a zinc-and-glass exterior. A 285-seat auditorium sits above the podium, and a large multipurpose space on the 2nd Floor, called the University Room, can accommodate groups of up to 600 people. The top of the tower features a flat-floor multipurpose space and offers stunning views of the campus, the Midway Plaisance, the city skyline, and Lake Michigan.

The historic Alberta Bair Theater renovation was an exercise in forensic investigation, creative detailing and problem-solving, and construction coordination. Lack of original drawings, combined with a previous remodel, required extensive field research to document existing construction and load paths. Close coordination during construction was necessary to validate designs and deliver final details. Due to rigging capacities, the theater was also at risk of not booking new acts. Creative structural solutions were implemented to nearly triple the technical rigging capacity of the theater, all while reducing the net loading on existing members.